The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-26
THE STAMFORD UNIVERSITY.
The Great Educational Institution Founded
by Leland Stanford, in Honor of His Son.

| Letter in st. Louis Globe Democrat. May Is.
| The design of Senator Stanford as was fully
| explained at the time of his execution of the
deed-trust is to found a university which shall
be open to all applicants of good character. In
structon will be given in the arts, sciences and
languages, but special attention will be paid TO
mechanical arts and to practical work in shops,
so that graduate from the training school may
enter foundry, factory workshop, without
serving an apprenticeship. To this end every
effort will be made to secure teachers who have
had practice in training schools, and the latest
improvements will be introduced in laboratories
and workshops, while scientific apparatus will
be literally supplied Free scholarships will be
provided for those who show special ability IN
certain branches, while expenses, tuition and
board are to be kept as low possible 1t is the
founders dream that here in this equable eli
mate ne can establish the nucleus of great uni
versity town, to which scholars will come for
the facilities that it affords for research and
study. Whether his dream is Utopian the next
twenty years will
After Stanford had made a rough general plan
of the scope of the university, and after he bad
estimated what share of his wealth would sup
port it literally, then came the difficult
undertakng-the procurement of plans of the
buildings He visited all the well-known foreign
and American seats of learning. and the result
of his observations confirmed him in one opin-
ion-that he would have the university buildings
built in one general style OF architecture that
the eye might not be offended with wholly dis
similar types on single square or campus
Frederick Law Olmsted was engaged to survey
the ranch and to select site. He desired to
place the buildings the first of the foothills
from which fine view may be had of miles of
the valley There, too the air is warmer and
the cool breezes at night do not blow with the
same sharpness on the valley below. But the
Senator preferred the level land. and hence it
finally decided to place the buildings a
beautiful level meadow, about mile from the
main residence at Palo Alto, about half mile
from the little town of May yield and two miles
from Menlo Park
The architects selected were Shepley, Rutan
81 Coolidge, of Brookline, Mass, who the
successors of the well-known Fl. Fl. Richardson.
They prepared the plans, after ascertaining the
salient features of the buildings which the
founder favored Stanford's idea was that moth
ing should DO borrowed from the architecture of
countries wholly unlike California in scenery
and climate. He would have of the lofty
structures such as grace the campus of Harvard,
Princeton Yale he cut loose from all tradi-
ton. and said he wished the architects to adopt
the Spanish style of one-story building, but to
give much of lightness and architectural
grace as the design was capable Of What the
result is may be seen from the general view of
the college quadrangle, which is a sketch of the
admirable wooden model of the buildings which
made in Boston. This represents a quad
space to be lawn, with SIX large beds of flow
and ornamental plants. The singularity of
the plan lies in the one story buildings red tile
roofs. and the arcade which is to extend COM
pletely around the quadrangle. the inside of
the buildings.
Now for some details in regard to dimensions
and architectural features The quadrangle is
to be 600 feet long by 250 feet broad On each
of the long sides to be built five college build
ings and on each of the short sides two build
ings making fourteen in ALL These buildings
are to be of different sizes. On the long sides
of the quadrangle the first buildings from each
corner are to be 20 feet wide by so feet deep.
10 feet long by 30 feet deep. On the short
sides the buildings will be 20 feet long by 40
feet deep The buildings will have thick walls.
20 feet high, while the roof, carried TO point
from all four corners will be another 90 feet in
height. making the total height of the building
40 feet The windows, of which there are lib
eral number, Is feet high. and there
double sets of transoms. which give them the
appearance of being much more lofty. The
buildings are to be constructed of yellow sand
stone, which admits of carving. and the inner
walls are be faced with brick. The roof will
be of Spanish tiles painted red. Air spaces will
be left for ventilation, and devices will be adopt
ed 20 prevent the heat which always renders a
one-story house so oppressive here during mid
summer
The buildings will all be connected by one
common sewerage SYSTEM and will be heated by
steam from the same boiler which runs the ma
chinery for the workshops The ample space
between each building, we'll as the roomy cor
ridor will give air. light an ventilation, SO nee
essary to health IN this climate. The arcade is
one of the handsomest features of the plan. It
will be eighteen feet high and twenty feet WIDE
and the many pillars of stone give air of
time, they relieve it of monotony The floor of
this arcade will be paved with artificial stone
and, protected as it is by continuous roof
which runs from one building to another, it viii,
afford passageway and recreation in rainy or in
clement weather. In fact, it will be a revival of
the Porch. though it is too much to suppose that
those who frequent it will possess all the virtues
of the Stoics The arrangement of the build
ings is such that LIS and other additions may be
made whenever the growth of the college de-
mands them without materially altering the
general plan. Near the quadrangle on one side
will be built dormtories for boys; on the other
sides residences for girls In another block will
be the professors residences, while the founders
plan includes regular settlement of houses for
literary men who may wish to make their home
within the shadow of the young university.
The only building in the quadrangle which will
be more than story is the memorial church
This will be placed midway on the west side of
the quadrangle, and entrance to it can be secured
from the arcade. 1t will seat ], 100 people. will
be in the shape of cross, and will have a hand
some and striking tower. The transepts and
apse will be semi-circular, the latter being much
larger than usual in order that when any spe-
cial ceremonies held it may accommo date
the faculty. as we'll any distinguished visitors
who may attend Instead OF having the pulpit
face the main aisle, in most churches, the
architects have arranged it by the column in
front of the apse, SO that it may be seen from
all parts of the building The tower is square,
and is surrounded by four little towers one at
each corner. Three Will be used for purposes of
while in the fourth will be a spiral
by which one may gain the top of the
main tower. From this vantage point one may
get fine view of the college quadrangle, of the
of fertile acres of Palo Alto. of the
San Mateo and Santa Clara valleys, stretching
away to the foot hills. The church is to be ded-
icated to no creed. Able pulpit orators will be
invited to preach from time to time Opposite
the church, at the other side of the quadrangle,
will be the memorial arch for entrance. It will
be handsomely designed. and will bear a bust of
the founders son, with the inscription: LELAND
Stanford jr, University"
The site, seen yesterday, was not attractive
Ahnylf dn1a t0or vr1th
gagged in clearing away the loan that had been
freshly turned up by the plow. A strong breeze
was blowing and the dust filled the air in blind
ing clouds. Near by, the stone-cutters were
the several stones which were to be
used in the ceremony of laying the cornerstone.
The corner of the quadrangle already set in
4 long trench, and few weeks will probably see